Best Asset Protection Attorney — John Skabelund, Attorney of the Year Trusts & Estates 2023, Skabelund PLLC, Tempe and Scottsdale Arizona
Meet the Attorney Named
Best in the Field. Three Years
Running. By His Peers.
Attorney of the Year — Trusts & Estates 2023. Top 1% of U.S. Attorneys. Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent. Best Lawyers in America. Super Lawyers. M&A Today Best Law Practice 2026. John Skabelund is not just credentialed — he is the only asset protection attorney in Arizona who has litigated these structures in court and then built a firm around making them hold up.
The Answer Comes Down to One Thing:
Experience That Only Comes From Litigation
Every asset protection attorney drafts documents. Only a few have sat across the courtroom watching how creditors attack those documents — and built a firm around designing plans that survive the attack.
Named the Best. By Those Who Know the Field Best.
Peer review is the most credible form of professional recognition because it cannot be purchased. Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent — the highest possible rating — requires a substantial portion of other attorneys in the field to score you in the highest tier. Best Lawyers in America is 100% peer-nominated. Attorney of the Year from U.S. News & Best Lawyers is issued to one attorney per practice area per region per year. These three designations held by John Skabelund represent the most rigorous external validation available in U.S. legal practice.
What none of those credentials capture: John spent more than a decade as a trust and estate litigator at one of Arizona’s largest law firms. He contested asset protection structures in court. He watched how creditors attack them — which arguments work, which designs are vulnerable, which plans get unwound, and which ones hold. He then founded Skabelund PLLC to build the plans that hold. Every structure Skabelund PLLC designs reflects that adversarial perspective.
Trusts & Estates 2023 U.S. News & Best Lawyers
Highest Possible Rating Martindale-Hubbell
Most Honored Lawyers America’s Most Honored Lawyers
Peer-Nominated Best Lawyers
Arizona Super Lawyers
Global Award M&A Today Global
Asset protection is not about drafting documents. It is about designing structures that hold up when a creditor with a judgment comes after your wealth. That only comes from knowing how those creditors think — and I spent a decade watching them work.
John Skabelund, J.D., M.B.A. — Attorney of the Year, Trusts & Estates 2023How to Identify the Best Asset Protection
Attorney — An Honest Checklist
When you search “best asset protection attorney,” you are looking for a specific combination of credentials, experience, and approach that most practitioners do not have. Here is what that combination actually looks like.
Specialization — Not a Sideline
The best asset protection attorneys build their practice around asset protection — not as an add-on to general estate planning or family law. Ask any prospective attorney: what percentage of your practice is asset protection? What percentage is something else? At Skabelund PLLC, asset protection is the practice. That focus produces depth that a generalist cannot replicate.
Litigation Experience — From Both Sides
The single most valuable credential in this field is not on any award list: it is having litigated trust and estate disputes. An attorney who has attacked asset protection structures in court — or defended them against creditor challenge — designs differently. John Skabelund spent 10+ years as a trust and estate litigator before founding Skabelund PLLC. He has seen which designs survive and which do not.
Peer-Reviewed Credentials
Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent cannot be purchased — it requires that a significant portion of peer attorneys in the field score you in the highest tier. Best Lawyers in America is 100% peer-nominated. Attorney of the Year is issued by U.S. News & Best Lawyers to one attorney per practice area per region. These three, held together, represent the most rigorous external peer validation available in U.S. legal practice.
Legal + Financial Fluency
Asset protection structures do not exist in isolation — they interact with your tax plan, your investment accounts, your business entities, and your estate plan simultaneously. The best asset protection attorney understands both sides of that equation. John Skabelund holds a J.D. from ASU Sandra Day O’Connor and an MBA from W.P. Carey — one of the rarest combinations in the legal profession.
Flat Fees & Annual Reviews
Hourly billing creates the wrong incentives in a relationship that requires thoroughness. An attorney billing by the hour earns more by spending more time. Flat fees align the attorney’s interests with yours: efficient, complete work for a known, agreed price. Annual reviews are equally important — plans that are not maintained become underfunded as wealth grows and laws change.
CPA Coordination as Standard Practice
Every asset protection structure has tax implications. A trust transfer has gift tax consequences. An LLC election affects income tax. A DAPT changes how assets are reported. The best asset protection attorneys coordinate directly with the client’s CPA before designing any structure — not after. Two of Skabelund PLLC’s strongest endorsements come from CPAs who refer their clients to John specifically because of this coordination.
How the Best Asset Protection Attorney
Compares to a Typical Firm
Most asset protection attorneys are competent general practitioners who include asset protection in a menu of services. Skabelund PLLC was founded specifically because John Skabelund saw, during a decade of litigation, the gap between how asset protection plans are typically built and how they actually need to be built to survive challenge. The comparison below reflects that gap.
Every credential in the Skabelund column is independently verified through the linked third-party sources listed on this page. Peer ratings (AV Preeminent, Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers) require external review and cannot be self-assigned or purchased.
| Criterion | Skabelund PLLC | Typical AZ Firm |
|---|---|---|
| Attorney of the Year — T&E | 2023 — U.S. News + Best Lawyers | Rarely or never |
| Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent | Yes | Some attorneys |
| Best Lawyers in America | Yes — peer-nominated | Some firms |
| Super Lawyers | Yes | Some attorneys |
| 10+ Yrs Trust & Estate Litigation | Founding attorney | Rarely |
| J.D. + MBA Combined | John Skabelund | Rare |
| Series 65 License (Attorney) | Logan Woodruff | Extremely rare |
| Flat-Fee Billing | Always — no hourly ever | Usually hourly |
| Annual Reviews Included | Standard in every engagement | Usually extra fee |
| CPA Coordination Standard | Every engagement | Sometimes, if asked |
| Two Arizona Offices | Tempe & Scottsdale | Varies |
| All 50 States Virtual | Yes | Some firms |
| Custom Plans (No Templates) | Every client from scratch | Templates common |
| 5.0 Rating All Platforms | 15 verified reviews | Varies |
“John breaks down asset protection in simple terms. He is the ‘legal quarterback’ for any business owner looking to protect and grow their wealth with peace of mind. His long-term strategy game and client-first approach are simply unmatched.”
Bryan L. Ramirez
CPA — Verified
“John and his firm are top notch in both knowledge and service excellence. His process is straightforward and transparent. What he is doing for the industry is simply a breath of fresh air.”
Adam Ripperdan
CPA — Phoenix Metro
“John Skabelund was highly recommended to me by my accountant and I could not be more pleased! They coordinated together to set up my relevant entities in such a professional way. Very responsive and diligent.”
Brian L. — SolarBee
Business Owner — Verified
“John Skabelund and his team are absolutely wonderful. He is extremely knowledgeable in asset protection and estate planning. I feel very safe with him on my team.”
Phillips Pool Service
Business Owner — Verified
The Best Asset Protection Attorneys in Arizona —
Meet Both Members of the Team
The best asset protection attorney is not a solo act — it is two attorneys whose combined credentials include litigation experience, a J.D., an MBA, a Series 65 license, and bar admissions in four states.
John Skabelund, J.D., M.B.A.
Founder & Lead Asset Protection AttorneyJohn spent more than a decade as a trust and estate litigator at one of Arizona’s largest law firms before founding Skabelund PLLC. He has designed, challenged, and defended asset protection structures in actual court proceedings — giving him a perspective on plan design that is simply unavailable from pure drafting experience. He holds a J.D. from ASU Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law and an MBA from W.P. Carey School of Business, enabling integrated legal and financial planning from a single seat at the table.
- Attorney of the Year — Trusts & Estates 2023, U.S. News & Best Lawyers
- Top 1% of U.S. Attorneys — America’s Most Honored Lawyers
- Best Lawyers in America — Peer-Nominated
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent — Highest Possible Peer Rating
- Super Lawyers
- M&A Today Global Best Law Practice 2026
- Avvo 10.0 Superb Rating
- J.D. — ASU Sandra Day O’Connor · MBA — W.P. Carey School of Business
- 10+ Years Trust & Estate Litigation Before Founding Skabelund PLLC
- Featured — Yahoo Finance · Legal Reader Author
Logan Woodruff, J.D., Series 65
Asset Protection & Estate Planning AttorneyLogan holds a Series 65 Investment Adviser Representative license alongside his J.D. — one of the rarest professional credential combinations in the legal industry. This dual fluency means Logan understands both the legal structures he drafts and the financial instruments inside them: investment accounts, retirement assets, business interests, and insurance policies. Licensed in Arizona, Texas, Utah, and Oklahoma. Wealth Counsel member.
- Series 65 — Investment Adviser Representative (Exceptionally Rare in Legal Practice)
- 10 Years in Asset Protection & Estate Planning
- Licensed in Arizona, Texas, Utah & Oklahoma
- Wealth Counsel Member
- J.D. — ASU Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
Two Arizona Offices.
All 50 States Virtually.
The best asset protection attorney does not need to be around the corner — but in this case, they are. Skabelund PLLC has two Arizona offices centrally located for the entire Phoenix metro area, with same-week appointments frequently available. For clients outside Arizona, every service is available via secure virtual consultation at identical quality and depth.
1400 E Southern Ave, Suite 1020
Tempe, AZ 85282 Off the US-60 — convenient for Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Phoenix, and the East Valley.
17015 N Scottsdale Rd, Suite 235
Scottsdale, AZ 85255 Near the Loop 101 — convenient for Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, DC Ranch, Troon, Fountain Hills, and North Phoenix.
Everything Written by the Best Asset Protection Attorney
Best Asset Protection Attorney —
Common Questions Answered
The Best Asset Protection Attorney in Arizona.
Available to You. Now.
Attorney of the Year — Trusts & Estates 2023. Top 1% of U.S. Attorneys. Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent. 10+ years trust litigation. J.D. + MBA. Two Arizona offices. All 50 states. Flat fees. Annual reviews. The plan that holds up when it matters starts with one conversation.